Paige Toon to my blog! Paige writes fantastically entertaining rom-com books, and today is the release day of her ebook novella Johnny's Girl.
Do you find it easier to write a novella than a full length novel, or do both have different challenges?
It's definitely easy to write a shorter book, but that's probably because my two short story ebooks have been sequels, so I already know the characters inside out and it's easy - and so lovely - to step in and continue their story.
Did you always plan to write books that have an overlap of characters/follow a sequence?
No. I got the idea from Marian Keyes, one of my favourite authors. Rachel's Holiday mentions the heroine from Watermelon and I was so happy to have that little update. I wanted readers to know what happened to Lucy and Nathan, so I decided at the last minute to make a minor character the main character in my next book, Johnny Be Good - just so I'd have an excuse to have her mention Lucy and Nathan. I've done it ever since and I like that it keeps my characters alive - my readers do, too!
Do you base your characters on people you know, or are they entirely fictional?
They're pretty much fictional - sometimes someone will say something funny and I'll put the comment in a book, but mostly they're figments of my imagination - or sometimes inspired by other fictional characters I've loved from films, for example.
Which of your books was the hardest to write?
Looking back, it was probably Johnny Be Good because I was pregnant and couldn't get my head around the big changes that were happening. I was desperate to write my book before I had my baby, but I wasn't connected to the book. After my son Indy was born, I actually went back and re-wrote the first half of the book, then wrote the second half in about two months - and I loved it. It was like an emotional block had been removed.
Which was the easiest?
Lucy in the Sky - or actually, possibly One Perfect Summer, which I wrote very quickly. It was the first book since Lucy in the Sky that I had childcare for - my son was at school, my daughter had a few hours at nursery - and I could write again to music and lose myself in the story without worrying that my child was about to wake up from nap time!
Which is your favourite out of your books?
My favourite changes, but I think it could be Pictures of Lily. I'll probably read The Longest Holiday in a couple of years and decide that's my favourite - my readers think it could be my best.
What is the best book that you have read in 2013 so far?
I have been absolutely addicted to The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Can't wait for the last book to come out next year!
With huge thanks to Paige for answering my questions. Johnny's Girl is out today and can be bought from Amazon here.
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